


Home

by quinnovative



Series: Maggie Big-Sistering Kara [6]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Big Sister Alex Danvers, Big Sister Maggie Sawyer, Domestic Alex Danvers/Maggie Sawyer, F/F, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Sanvers - Freeform, Sick Kara Danvers, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-12
Updated: 2017-09-24
Packaged: 2018-12-26 17:44:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12063912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quinnovative/pseuds/quinnovative
Summary: Kara's sick and Alex is away, but Maggie isn't going anywhere.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I have a lot of new things half-written (most of them are Lena-centric) but, Irma came through my city and while we were lucky that no major damage occurred, I don't have any power and will probably be without it for more than a week. 
> 
> As a result, everything is pretty hectic and I may not be able to post for a while. But, I've had an update saved on my computer for a few months, waiting to be posted so that's what I have for you today while I crash at friends' houses and use their wifi.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this post. :)

**New Message(s): Alex (2)**

**7:03 AM: Morning, Maggie. Love you  
7:06 AM: Can you call me asap. I should be home late tonight/early tomorrow morning**

**  
** Maggie rolls over in bed to the sound of her phone buzzing against the wood of her nightstand. She sticks a hand out from beneath the blanket, groping around in the darkness for the source of the noise. Her fingers collide with the side of the phone and she curls her grasp around it, pulling it back under the blanket and reading her missed texts from Alex before dialing the other woman.

“Maggie?” Alex’s warm voice swells in the silent room.

“Yeah, hey.” Maggie lets her eyes fall closed again and flops against the pillow. Her voice is thick with sleep as it meets Alex’s ears, a continent away.

“Sorry, did I wake you? I keep forgetting about time zones.”

Maggie yawns and shakes her head, nestling into the pillow. “It’s no big deal. Is something wrong?”

“Nothing really bad, but I just found out Kara blew her powers last night at… eleven something, your time. I’ve been calling her for the past few hours and she still hasn’t picked up—she’s probably just sleeping since it’s her day off and she doesn’t really have anywhere to be, but would you mind swinging by her place before work to make sure she’s okay?”

“I have the day off too, so I’ll get dressed and head over there now.” Maggie drags herself upward, rubbing her eyes with a loose fist.

“You’re the best, thank you so much.”

“No problem, babe. You know I love taking care of the Danvers ladies.”

She hears Alex laugh, as the woman paces the halls of her hotel. “I’m leaving for the airport in a bit, but I have a semi-long layover between my flights. I should be home pretty soon though, like less than twenty four hours kind of soon.”

“Good,” Maggie says, a smile across her lips as she finally hauls herself out of bed. “I miss my favorite DEO agent.”

“Aww, softie” Alex says, voice exaggerated. “I miss you, too.”

“Ha.”

“I’d love to talk more but I’ve gotta go. Let me know how Kara’s doing, okay?”

“You’ve got it. Love you.”

“Love you, too,” Alex says before clicking off the line.

/

Maggie steps up to Kara’s apartment forty five minutes later, just after eight thirty. The sun is rising further up in the sky, spreading soft light into the hall. It takes seven sets of knocks and three yells to rouse the youngest Danvers from bed.

Her eyes crack open and she groans involuntary, head aching and room spinning as she sits up. The only thing registering in her brain at the moment is the fact that each knock on her door amplifies the pounding in her head.

“I’m coming, I’m coming. Hold on,” she yells, eyes squeezing tight at the pain in her throat. She furrows her brows and shuffles forward. The distance to the door seems to span an eternity. With a great sigh of relief, Kara’s fingertips finally find the handle and she peers through the peephole after a confused, habitual attempt to use her x-ray vision fails.

She pulls the door open and has to lean against the frame to remain upright.

“Hi, Maggie,” Kara says, voice hoarse and eyes struggling to stay open.

“Oh Little Danvers, you are not looking great.” Maggie gives Kara a sympathetic look and steps inside.

Kara closes and locks the door, before turning and leaning on it as she faces Maggie. “Is everything okay?” the blonde asks.

“You tell me, kid. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She shakes her head, wincing as she swallows. “I just blew my powers last night.”

“I know. Your sister called me. She’s worried about you and now, I am too.” Maggie puts a hand on Kara’s pajama clad shoulder, runs it up and down her arm.       

“You shouldn’t be. I’m fine, just tired.”

“If you say so,” Maggie says and walks into the kitchen, there’s no way in hell she’s leaving Kara alone like this. She sets a bag on the counter, gives Kara the extra seconds she needs to follow Maggie’s steps.

“I brought you doughnuts,” Maggie says, beaming, but Kara’s stomach flips at the mere thought.

She shakes her head, blonde messy bun flopping. “Thanks but no thanks.” She sinks into a bar chair at the counter and brings a knee to her chest, breathing slowly and closing her eyes to fend off the nausea churning in her stomach.

“Hey, you okay?” Maggie walks over to her girlfriend’s sister, thumb rubbing her shoulder again.

Kara gives a wordless nod, buries her head in her arms and mumbles some fragmented form of a question.

“What was that?”

Kara groans as she straightens and squints in the sunlight, the throbbing in her skull made worse. She drags a hand across her face. “Do humans always feel this… I don’t know…” There isn’t anything she’s felt before that is quite like this. It’s sort of like the cold she’d caught the first time she’d lost her powers, but a hundred million times worse, she decides. And anything she’s felt that’s similar to this on Krypton is lost deep in her memory. “Do humans always feel this… icky? This bad?” she finally asks, making a face.

Maggie gives a soft laugh and shakes her head. “No, sweetie. I think you’re sick. You probably have the flu.”

Kara sits still for a moment. A beat passes. “Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“I feel gross.”

“I bet you do,” Maggie says and gives Kara’s shoulder a squeeze. “I think a hot shower might make you feel better, and a change into some new pajamas?”

Kara considers that for a second, nodding thoughtfully. “Okay.”

She stands, wavering for a moment.

“Can I trust you in there to not pass out on me?” Maggie teases, looping an arm around Kara’s middle and helping her down the hall.

“I sure hope so,” Kara says. “We’re close but we don’t need to be _that_ close.”

Maggie laughs and brings a hand to her face as they reach the door. “I’m with you on that one, Baby Danvers.”

“Hey!” Kara exclaims, shooting Maggie a faux-glare, but it hurts her eyes and she stops before the detective even looks her way. “Little Danvers is as low as we’re going.”

“All right, all right. I’ll keep the teasing to a minimum when you’re sick.”

“Thank you.”

“Mhmm, call if you need anything, okay?” Maggie asks. “And remember, you’re pretty much human right now, so you _can_ feel heat. Don’t overdo it with the temperature in there.”

“Right.”

“You good?”

“Yes.”

Kara steps behind the door, stripping out of her pajamas and climbing under the warm stream of water. Alone in the shower, she lets pretenses fall and the extent of how badly she feels set in. She bites her lip and swallows the lump that rises in her throat. She’s not used to feeling so horrible and she definitely isn’t used to feeling bad without her sister.

Maggie paces around the living room for a bit, lets a few minutes pass while she determines what to do next. Finally she pulls her phone from her bag.

“Hey, Maggie, is everything okay?” Alex asks.

“Your sister’s sick.”

Alex feels her heart clench, gets the familiar grip of panic and guilt she always gets whenever something’s wrong with her sister.  She sighs and rubs her forehead. “Shit. Is it bad?”

“She refused doughnuts.”

“Damn. Well I’m boarding in a few minutes, so I’ll be on my way. What do you think it is?”

“Probably a cold or the flu? I’m leaning toward the latter because she’s looking pretty miserable and I have a feeling we still haven’t got to the worst of it yet. She was joking around with me just a few minutes ago, but she’s shaky.” Maggie shuffles through cabinets in the kitchen.

“Can I talk to her?”

“She’s in the shower right now, but afterwards I can put her on.”

“I’ll probably be gone by then.” Alex pulls a hand through her hair, reminds herself that Kara has Maggie. She’ll be all right. “Is she running a fever?”

“I don’t know, I only had a few minutes of contact with her before she went into the bathroom to shower—hey, speaking of which, do you know if she has a thermometer? Or medicine? I was looking but then I realized she wouldn’t even have a use for that stuff.”

“Left most kitchen cabinet if you’re facing the stove for the medicine, and thermometer is in the bathroom, bottom right drawer facing the mirror. She keeps it incase guests aren’t feeling well at her place,” Alex says, smile forming despite the concern in her stomach.

“Okay that is so sweet.” Maggie grins as she pulls medicine out of the cabinet. “Your sister is too pure for this world.”

Alex laughs. “Yeah, sometimes. You gettin’ soft on Kara now, too?”

“Absolutely not,” Maggie grins.

“You sure? ‘Cause you’re sounding a little soft over there.”

“Oh shut up, Danvers, you’re really one to talk,” Maggie laughs. “Does her alien physiology still affect the dosage I’m supposed to give her right now?”

“It shouldn’t,” Alex says, shaking her head.

“All right, thanks. I can’t wait to see ya, Danvers. I’m gonna hang with your sister today, I want to make sure she’s okay. So just come over to Kara’s when you land, all right?”

“I will. Thank you so much, Maggie. You’re the best.”

“It’s my job to serve the people,” she teases.

“Haha. Hey, listen, they’re starting to call rows to board but I just want to let you know, Kara kind of holds tight when I’m not there, so however bad it seems like she’s feeling right now, it’s probably worse than she’s letting on. She’s not always a bad liar and she gets a little guarded, brave face and all that. So just keep an eye out for her, please?”

“Of course.”

“And she also gets really snuggly when she’s not feeling great.”

“So do you. I’m used to it.”

Alex sighs and then smiles. “I love you. Let Kara know I’m thinking of her and that I’m on my way back?”

“Will do.”

“Thank you.”

“Mhmm, have a safe flight, babe. I love you.”

Maggie commits the next few minutes to reading every instructional word on the medicine bottle. She does not want to screw anything up when it comes to Kara. She spends some more time pulling extra blankets from the closet, something she has done more times than she can remember over the past few months of game nights and movie nights. Then she places an order for chicken noodle soup from the cute, little café three blocks away and when she glances at the clock she realizes forty minutes have passed since Kara first stepped into the shower.

“Kara,” she calls out, knocking against the door. “Hey, Kara.”

There’s no response.

“Kara, come on. Are you okay in there?”

Silence.

Maggie feels her heartbeat pick up, slam in her chest as worry loops in her stomach. “Kara, I’m going to have to come in if you don’t say anything.” She knocks on the door again, this time her fist propelled by fear. “Kara,” she tries once more.

The blonde blinks slowly, vision a little fuzzy. She’s registering loud hits from somewhere she can’t quite see, somewhere beyond the water and the pounding in her head. “Maggie?” she asks, calls out when she shakes off some confusion. _Did I fall asleep?_ Kara furrows her brow and realizes she’s sitting.

At the sound of Kara’s voice, a sigh falls from deep within Maggie’s lungs. She leans her head back against the bathroom door and closes her eyes for a moment. “Yeah, I was just checking on you. Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’ll be out in a minute.” She lets her head lean against the tile, tries to soak in the heat of the water on her shaking body. It takes another minute, but she finally gathers the strength to stand and turn off the shower. In the absence of its warmth she quivers, despite the towel wrapped tightly around her.

Kara opens the door and steam spills out into the hall where she sees Maggie, positioned at the end, tip of her thumb tucked nervously between her teeth. She drops it at the sight of Kara, face shifting from concern to sympathy. “Hey, you feeling any better?”

“A little,” Kara answers as Maggie wedges an arm around Kara, helps support her as they walk. The blonde notes how Maggie pretends not to notice that Kara’s hair is drenching her shirt or that so much of her is held up by the detective she would probably fall if it weren’t for the arm wrapped around her middle.

“I think—I think I fell asleep in there,” Kara says.

“Really?”

“Yeah.” Kara’s face creases in confusion. “My legs felt funny and I thought I was going to fall, so I sat and the next… the next thing I remember is hearing you call me.”

“Well that... does not sound safe,” Maggie says. “I guess we gotta get you to bed soon.”

Kara nods. “You don’t… you don’t have to stay, I’m sure you have other things to do and I don’t want to take up your time.”

“Nah-uh.” Maggie shakes her head, just as the doorbell rings with the soup delivery. “No way am I leaving you here alone when you feel like this. Now go get changed, I’ll get the door.”

“Okay,” Kara relents, there’s too much pain in her throat to keep talking and her head hurts and her body’s achy and she’d too tired to argue anymore. Plus, she’d be lying if she said she wanted to be alone right now.

“Are you hungry at all?” Maggie asks before she turns away.

Kara shakes her head.

“You don’t want to at least try?”

Another head shake.

“Okay. I’ll be back in a minute or two.”

/

When Maggie returns, Kara is clothed in her fluffiest pair of pajama pants and a sweater from college, trembling as she sits crisscross on the bed.

“You’re freezing, aren’t you?”

Kara nods, lips already pulled into a small pout.

“I’ll be right back,” the detective says and comes back a minute later, carrying a blow dryer in one hand and a hairbrush in the other.

She plugs the machine into the wall and slides in behind Kara. “Come ‘ere,” she says, gently guiding Kara in front of her.

The blonde complies, scooting over and blinking slowly as the warmth begins to engulf her. Maggie watches, feeling satisfaction swell inside her, as Kara’s muscles relax and her shaking eases.

“Maggie?” Kara whispers after a few minutes of the detective blow drying her hair, turning to face the other woman.

The brunette turns down the settings, so she can hear Kara better. “Yeah?”

“Thank you for taking care of me.”

Maggie smiles. “Of course.”

Kara shifts and plays with the hem of blanket. “Is Alex going to be home soon? Not that I don’t like having you here,” she suddenly corrects. “I do—you’re great, but I just… I miss Alex, and I know she was supposed to come back today so—“

“Shh,” Maggie laughs. “It’s all good, I understand. She’s on her way now and she says she’s thinking about you. We talked while you were in the shower.”

“Oh, okay. Good,” she murmurs sleepily and Maggie smiles, rubbing the youngest Danvers’ back. When she’s sure Kara’s done asking questions, the detective turns the blow dryer all the way back up, intent on getting Kara warm and dry as quickly as possible.

The heat lulls Kara’s eyes closed, coaxing her to sleep before she can even try to fight it. She slips back against Maggie and the detective lets out a soft ‘aw,’ because in moments like these Kara doesn’t look like Supergirl, invincible and collected. She just looks like Alex’s little sister, like the little girl who lost her home planet. Maggie aches for Alex to come home, thinks about the bed being full again soon and the living room buzzing with activity.

She finishes drying Kara’s hair and ties it into a loose braid.

Maggie eases out from behind the blonde, gently lowering her against the pillow and shifting her so she’s under the sheets. The detective gathers an extra blanket to tuck around Kara and spreads it over the sleeping alien, as Kara turns and curls up on her side.

Once the lights are flicked off and the blinds closed to keep the room as dark as possible, Maggie stays for a few minutes, stroking Kara’s hair and rubbing her shoulder until the younger girl finally stills in her sleep and the detective returns to the living room where she’s got her laptop in her bag.

Maggie passes the next few hours catching up on paperwork, checking on Kara every so often to make sure the younger girl is still asleep. The blonde slips in and out of conscious and unconscious states, mumbling and twisting in her sleep. She kicks off blankets, then shivers so hard Maggie layers them all back over her.

Then sun has just sunk beneath the skyline when Kara comes fully into wakefulness (or as close as can be expected given her current condition). Each swallow is punctuated by a grimace and her head thunders and her stomach cramps and she sniffles as tears burn in her eyes and she feels stupid for being this needy and weak. She’s so hot she pushes off the sheets with her sore limbs and shakes under the power of new chills.

She’s so tired, but she can’t fall back asleep and she doesn’t have it in her to call for Maggie, so she waits, curling in on herself. It doesn’t take long for Maggie to come in, but it feels like an eternity to Kara as shivers.

“Oh, hey, sleepyhead, nice of you to finally join the living,” she teases, soft smile on her lips that falls as she gets closer and sees the moisture pooling in Kara’s eyes and the paleness of her skin. “Oh, hey, hey,” she murmurs, rushing to Kara’s side. “What’s a matter? Should I call the DEO?”

Kara bites her lip and shakes her head, turning to bury her face in her pillow to hide the tears that involuntarily spring from her eyes. She feels embarrassment burn in her stomach. She’s trying so hard to keep it together—she’s an _adult,_ she should not be _crying._ But she’s never been sick like this before and Alex is away and oh she feels so, so bad.

“Hey, Kara,” Maggie says as she climbs in beside the younger woman. “Kara, come here.”

Kara turns away from the pillow and rolls into Maggie’s leg, looks up at the detective. “I’m sorry,” she murmurs, voice raw and watery before she pulls the sheets back up so she’s almost buried completely beneath them.

“Oh no, Kara, don’t apologize.” Maggie brushes back Kara’s hair so she can see the blonde’s face.

“I didn’t mean t-to cry,” she sniffles. “I just—I think too much when I get like this and I…“ she trials off and shrugs.

“Shh,” Maggie says lightly. “You don’t feel well, it’s okay. You can’t help it.”

Kara breathes, lungs a little shaky. It’s true, she really doesn’t feel well. Not at all.

“And listen,” Maggie continues, thumb stroking Kara’s temple as she talks. And it’s nice, makes her headache disappear a bit and reminds Kara a little of Alex. “I know you feel really shitty right now, and your sister isn’t here and I know that I’m not her, but you don’t have to keep your guard up around me. We’re friends right?”

Kara nods and her nose tickles Maggie’s side. “Thank you,” the blonde breathes.

“Of course, Little Danvers,” Maggie says, rubbing the blonde’s shoulder. Kara’s hand creeps into Maggie’s and she squeezes, something out of pain and discomfort. The touch is so gentle that Maggie’s taken aback for a moment, but then she thinks about the years of practice and conditioning Kara’s gone through to make sure she’s always holding back her strength. Maggie’s heart aches a little bit for both Danvers sisters.

“Your sister said you love to snuggle when you’re not feeling well, I thought I’d seen the most of it at movie night but maybe not,” Maggie teases, smiling when Kara gives a small laugh. With Kara pressed into her side the detective is suddenly aware of how much the blonde’s shivering, even beneath the three blankets Maggie’s pulled over her.

“Hold on,” she says, adjusts Kara to shake free the arm she’d pinned down. Maggie presses the back of her hand to Kara’s forehead and it’s something the blonde’s seen Eliza do to Alex when they were growing up.

Maggie’s heart sinks and she finds herself wishing more and more that Alex were there. “Oh, kid, you’re absolutely burning up. Let me take your temperature, okay? And then we’re most definitely getting some medicine into you.”

Kara makes a sound of protest when Maggie leaves, disappearing from view.

She’s taken Kara’s temperature, determined that it’s high enough to make Kara miserable but not high enough to be dangerous, and coaxed Kara into swallowing some pills and water when she hears the distant ringing of her phone in the living room.

“I’ll be right back,” she promises.

A smile splits Maggie’s lips as she reads the caller ID and swipes to answer the call. “Hey, babe.”

“Hey, Mags. How’s she feeling?”

“Awful, I think. But she’s surviving. I’m doing the best I can to make her comfortable.”

“I know you are,” Alex promises.

The detective takes a deep breath. “Alex, she cried earlier,” Maggie whispers, cupping her mouth to keep her words low. She feels guilt surge inside her and needs to tell Alex, hopes maybe there’s something she can do.

Alex closes her eyes for a moment, feels parallel guilt. “Kara gets emotional sometimes. I don’t want to say it’s normal for her, but it’s definitely not abnormal. Did she settle?”

“Yeah,” Maggie says with a nod. “She snuggled a bit.”

Alex laughs. “That would do it.” Maggie can hear footsteps and voices in the background.

“How many hours do you have?”

“Three and a half until my next flight departs and then pretty soon I’ll be back in National City, headed straight for you two.”

“Good,” Maggie affirms. “Your sister’s been asleep most of the time.”

“Has she eaten at all?” Alex asks, she can’t help her medical training from surfacing.

“No, I’ve got soup waiting for her when she’s ready.”

“All right. What other symptoms?”

Maggie thinks back, going over conversation and interactions with the youngest Danvers. “We’ve established the fatigue and loss of appetite, then there’s weakness, dizziness, sore throat, runny nose, fever, headache, stomachache… I think overall there’s a lot of ache going on.”

Alex gives a breathy laugh, sympathy tightens inside her. “Is she up?”

“Yeah, or she was at least a minute ago. She--“ Maggie turns around, sees Kara padding out of the bedroom with slow, shaking steps. “She’s actually right behind me…” Maggie pulls the phone away from her ear a bit. “Kara, what are you doing? Should you be up right now?”

Kara gives a heavy shrug, before collapsing onto the couch with a dramatic groan. She tosses a thumbs up over the top of the couch to alert Maggie that her collapse was more theatrics and melodrama than actual inability to support her own weight and the detective shakes her head.

“Your sister’s on the phone,” Maggie says and Kara instantly perks up, head popping up over the cushions.

“Really?”

Maggie nods and passes over the device.

“Hey, pretty girl, how are you feeling?” Alex asks, voice laced with a softness that only appears when Kara’s hurt or upset.

“Kind of bad,” she sighs. “This sucks.”

“Yeah, it does.” Alex agrees. “But hey, you always said you wanted to know what it’s like to be human.”

“Ha.” Kara deadpans.

“I’m only teasing. I love you.”

Kara smiles, nestles her face into a pillow and mumbles. “I love you, too. Maggie says you’re comin’ home soon.”

“I’m already on my way, just a few more hours and I’ll be there, okay?”

Kara nods and presses her face into a pillow, letting the line fall silent for a moment before she murmurs. “Alex?”

“Yeah, Kara?”

“Can you just talk to me for a little while?”

“Of course,” Alex says, lets her words carry over and fill Kara’s head until the blonde’s eyes grow heavy and she slips forward, folds over herself with her face shoved into a pillow, and the phone slips from her hand, dangling over the side of the couch and meeting the floor with a soft thud.

Maggie makes her way over and laughs at the sight. She picks up the phone and brings it up to her ear. “Danvers, you bored your little sister to sleep.”

“Pics or it didn’t happen,” Alex shoots back, laughing when her phone vibrates and she looks down to an image of Kara in one of the most ridiculous sleeping positions the agent has ever seen. “Nah-uh, that has to be staged.”

Maggie laughs. “It’s the real deal, babe.”

“Poor Kara,” Alex says and Maggie rubs the blonde’s back.

The detective sits on the couch and Kara stretches out, leaning toward Maggie. The detective grins and opens her arm, lets Kara snuggle against her as Maggie talks to Alex, lets the minutes between their reunion trickle away.

/

Alex eases the door closed behind her, pressing the handle down before turning the lock back in place and tiptoeing through the apartment. She quietly deposits her duffle bag on the floor outside of Kara’s bedroom before entering, and when she’s finally inside, her heart swells at the sight before her. Kara’s sprawled across the bed, limbs strewn out, and tangled around blankets. Her head lolls against Maggie’s stomach, mouth open and snoring slightly.

Alex is overwhelmed with the love augmenting in her chest at Maggie, drops her jacket and has to blink back tears because Maggie is so perfect and Alex has never been so in love.

The movement brings Maggie to wakefulness and she blinks heavily, looking confused as though she didn’t quite mean to fall asleep.

“What is this oversized puppy doing in our bed?” Alex teases, glancing at Kara before leaning down to brush hair out of Maggie’s face and pressing a kiss to the detective’s lips.

“Technically it’s her bed,” Maggie says when they break apart and Alex laughs, a little bit exhausted, a little bit giddy at the sight of her girlfriend cloaked in moonlight and taking care of her little sister so well. Alex straightens and Maggie’s arm leaves the warmth of the blanket, grabbing for Alex instead.

“Wait, I’m not done,” Maggie murmurs—sleepily, happily. She’s smiling as she pulls Alex back into another kiss. “I missed you,” she says.

Alex smiles and squeezes Maggie’s hand. “I missed you too.”

“How’s she doing?” Alex asks, looking over at Kara.

“It’s been a few hours since she had her first dose of medicine, I think it kind of knocked her out a bit. She’s really sick, Alex.”

The agent bites her lip and moves to the other side of the bed so she’s closer to Kara. In her sleep, the blonde moves, curling to her side and off of Maggie, so she’s facing Alex.

Maggie continues. “I don’t think it’s anything that can’t be fixed by some medicine and rest, but I just feel bad, you know?”

Alex nods, because she does know. She’s known since Kara arrived on Earth what it feels like to see her hurt or upset or scared. How it feels to have that responsibility and guilt and sympathy all bundled tight inside you. “Thank you,” Alex whispers. “For taking care of her. I can’t tell you how much that means.”

Maggie smiles. “Anytime.” She pats the open part of the mattress beside her. “Now, come lay with us. We can make room.”

“I will in one sec,” Alex says as she toes off her shoes and changes into a pair of pajamas she always has lying around at Kara’s. “I want to go grab her some medicine and water and maybe a wet washcloth for her forehead, she still looks feverish.”

Maggie shakes her head and stands up. “No, I’ll get it. You look exhausted.”

“You sure?” Alex asks, drawing Maggie in for another kiss.

“Of course. Go be with Kara, I’ll be back in a minute,” the detective says as she turns out of the room.

Alex sits on the edge of the bed, mattress shifting beneath her. She brushes a hand across Kara’s forehead, strokes her hair and the blonde looks up, eyes parting just barely when Maggie returns. Alex murmurs her thanks and takes the items.

“Here, let me help you,” Alex says when she sees Kara struggling to sit up.

“Alex?” Kara whispers, voice hoarse and painful.

“Yeah, I’m right here. I’m home now.” She rubs Kara’s back. “I have more medicine.” Alex passes Kara the water and pills, waits for her to finish. “There we go, lie back down.”

Kara complies, eyes drooping closed as she shifts. “Alex, you’re—you’re back.”

“Yes, I am.” Alex wraps her hands around Kara’s then releases them to grab the washcloth. “This is going to make you feel better I promise,” Alex says, gently wiping Kara’s forehead before leaving the cool towel there. “How’s that? Feel good?”

Kara’s response is nothing more than an indecipherable murmur and a small tilt of her chin, eyes already closed, but her hand still reaches out, curls around Alex’s as she falls asleep.

“I don’t know how I got so lucky,” Alex whispers when she finally settle’s in bed and turns to face Maggie.

“What do you mean?”

“You. I mean you,” Alex says and Maggie crinkles up her nose with a little grin.

“Yeah, well you’re not bad yourself, Danvers.”

Alex smiles, twists her other arm to pull Maggie closer. “Love you.”

Maggie settles into her side, presses a sleepy kiss to Alex’s collarbone. “I love you, too. Now get some sleep, babe. We’ve got an alien to take care of in the morning.”

“You’re telling me,” Alex laughs, nestles into her girlfriends. “I’m glad I’m home.”

Maggie hugs her tightly. “Oh, Danvers, you have no idea.” ****  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I received requests on ff.net for a second chapter, so here's a short little addition I wrote. Hope you like it!

It’s just past five thirty in the morning when Kara starts moving—twisting beneath the sheets, flopping from one side to the other. It’s a few more minutes before Alex wakes to tossing and turning beside her and stifled whimper.

“Kara?” she whispers, propping herself up on an elbow in the darkness and rubbing her eyes. She squints when the only response she receives is the creak of the mattress and Kara curling further into herself, focuses to make out Kara writhing with a hand slung around her abdomen, clutching the fabric of her t-shirt on the other side.

“Kara, what’s wrong?”

The blonde turns, presses her face hard into Alex’s side without even looking up at her sister and wraps her arms around the agent’s warm body.

“Kara?” Alex tries again, rubbing her back.

“My stomach hurts really bad,” Kara murmurs into the soft material of Alex’s shirt.

“Do you think you’re going to throw up?”

Kara shrugs, breath hitching and hiccupping and voice whining “I don’t _know.”_

Alex untangles herself from the blonde, leans back to look at her. The agent’s eyes sweep over Kara’s features for barely a second before Alex swings her legs over the side of the bed and she stands.

“Come on.” She wraps an arm around Kara’s waist and pulls her out of the sheets, toward her own side. “I totally think you’re going to throw up.”

A whimper penetrates the tight line of Kara’s lips and she doubles over three steps into their walk.

“You gonna make it?” Alex asks, bending to catch Kara’s gaze and brush a strand of blonde hair from her burning, damp forehead.

Kara nods, eyes squeezed shut, and Alex guides her the last few feet to the bathroom where the brunette’s prediction is proved correct two minutes later with Kara kneeling over and emptying the contents of her stomach into the toilet.

Maggie’s eyelids part to dim yellow light seeping into the bedroom and it takes a moment to identify the source of her waking, features contorting into a grimace at the realization.

“You’re okay, Kar, you’re okay.” Alex’s voice carries on the early morning air, darkness still seeping through each crevice of the city and settling for a few more minutes before daylight starts creeping in.

Maggie flinches at the sound that follows and slips out of bed. She appears in the bathroom doorway, rubbing her eyes and leaning against the frame with mussed hair.

“Need anything?” Maggie asks softly, crossing her arms. Alex looks her way, one hand still stroking Kara’s back as they blonde drops her head onto the edge of the toilet, wrapping an arm around her stomach with a groan.

Alex moves her hand up to brush Kara’s hair. “Can you grab her a glass of water?”   

Maggie disappears with a nod and when she returns, Kara’s head stays pressed against the porcelain but she manages a ‘thank you’ as Maggie comes toward her side.

“Mhmm,” Maggie hums softly. “Need anything else?”

Kara shakes her head and Alex takes the glass, convinces Kara to sit up and swish the water in her mouth before spitting it out.

Alex phone rings as Kara tilts back, leaning against the wall.

“It’s Dr. Hamilton, I texted her about what’s going on,” Alex explains and stands with a gentle squeeze on Kara’s shoulder.

“I don’t want to go into the DEO,” Kara mumbles, putting an arm out to stop Alex’s movement. “ _Please,_ Alex.”

“I’ll see what I can do, but I want Dr. Hamilton’s opinion. Maggie, can you just stay here with Kara for a sec?”

The detective nods, dropping beside the blonde as Alex leaves the room.

“So,” Maggie says after a stretch of silence. She looks over at Kara with her head tilted back against the wall, face pale and legs bent up toward her stomach. “How do you feel?”

“ _Gross,”_ Kara groans, making a face. “Just _ugghck_ , not good.”

Maggie laughs. “Always so well spoken, Little Danvers.”

“Shut up, Tiny Detective,” Kara fires back with a little smirk.

“Oh don’t even start that again,” Maggie begins and Kara’s smile grows before dropping from her face completely as she bolts upright off the wall.

“Are you gonna--?”

Kara nods and Maggie’s up on her feet, helping Kara lean forward, filling in for Alex, rubbing shoulder blades and holding back a loose blonde braid as Kara shudders and heaves.

“You’ll feel better when you’re done, just get it out, Little Danvers. You’re okay.”

“Sorry,” Kara gasps between breaths, hunched over the toilet, propped up on her elbows with her head in her hands.

“It’s okay, Kara, you’re fine,” Maggie says, wets a washcloth with cool water and offers it to Kara when she finishes.

“I’ve been told to keep an eye on you,” Alex says, coming back into the room and looking at Kara.

“Like you weren’t going to already.”

“True. But I reserve the right to take you in if I think it’s necessary.”

Kara groans in response, setting her head back down in her arms.

“Dr. Hamilton really isn’t worried? Maggie asks, fingers brushing Kara’s hair as she stands beside her, looking toward Alex.

“No,” Alex shakes her head and pulls Maggie into a one armed hug. The detective leans into the touch. “Not yet at least. Kara’s immune system is an embarrassment, so Dr. Hamilton agrees that this kind of response isn’t too abnormal all things considered.”

“Hey,” Kara whines from the floor, turning her head so her cheek is mushed against her forearm and she can see Alex.

“You’re not help your case.” Alex grins and untangles herself from Maggie. “Think you feel okay enough to get up?”

Kara nods, takes the hand Maggie offers her and stands shakily.

“Bed or couch?”

“Couch.” Kara curls her fingers around the hem of Alex’s shirt and holds on, following her sister into the living room as Maggie keeps a hand on Kara’s shoulder.

“I’ll go grab some blankets and pillows,” Maggie says as Kara collapses onto the couch shivering, still grasping Alex’s shirt in her hand. “Need anything else?”

“Can you grab a bucket or something incase… you know?” She tilts her head down toward Kara where the blonde has slumped against her sister’s side.

“You got it,” Maggie says.

“What do you want to watch?” Alex asks a moment later, threading her fingers into Kara’s hair and massaging her scalp.

“Harry Potter?”

“Sure, good choice. I’ll set it up.” Alex slides out from under Kara and eases the DVD from the crammed box under the TV. It takes a few minutes to get the movie playing and when Alex gets back to couch Kara latches onto her side, snuggles into her lap with half lidded eyes drooping closed.

“Alex?” Kara murmurs.

“Yeah, sis?”

“Thanks for being here.”

“I always will be, you know that.” Alex brushes her fingers through Kara’s hair.

“Thanks for dating Maggie, too.” Alex laughs and Kara lets a smile taking over her sleepy features. “Keep doing that,” the blonde says.

“I plan to.”

“Good,” Kara says with a sigh, nestling against the pillow in Alex’s lap and letting the steady hand drawing circles on her back slow her breathing until the Harry Potter overture fades and her eyes close.

Maggie has the ends of two blankets twisted between her legs as she comes back into the living room, arms over flowing.

“Want help?” Alex reaches out, pulls some of the fabric away from Maggie before she trips.

“Thanks.” Maggie sets the rest of the supplies down, spreading a blanket across Kara and Alex, tucking some pillows around the couch.

Maggie leans back for a moment, checking on her work before she leans forward and gives Alex a kiss.

“What’s that for?” Alex says, smiling.

Maggie flashes the time on her phone. “I have to go.” She gives an apologetic looks. “I have to work today and I still have to go back to my place so I can change and get all my stuff before going into the precinct.”

“Oh Maggie, you were up all night with Kara. I didn’t know you had work today, you should have told me. You needed to be sleeping.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Maggie shushes, pulling Alex in for one more kiss. “I’ll be back around four tonight, okay? I get off early.”

“Good. See you then?”

“Of course,” Maggie says and makes her way to the door. She steals one last look before leaving, replays the image of Alex cuddled with her little sister through her head as she enters the elevator.

/

It’s ten hours later when Maggie eases the apartment door open again. It all seems the same with another Harry Potter movie playing and a mountain of blankets piled on the couch, except now Kara is sitting upright with Alex slumped into her side, eyes closed and body curled up.

The blonde looks over from the TV, bun bouncing at the movement as she smiles at the detective. “Hi, Maggie.”

“Hey, you feeling better?” Maggie pulls off her jacket and hangs it on a chair.

Kara nods. “Way better. My powers are even coming back a little since I stayed out in the sun for a while.”

“Perfect. What’d you do to your sister over here?” Maggie teases, brushing hair out of Alex’s face and kissing her temple.

“Maggie?” Alex murmurs, eyes peeking open.

“Yeah, hey. What happened? Kara wore you out?” She winks at Kara as she says it and the blonde grins back nodding.

“Mhmm,” Alex mutters and reaches out, pulling Maggie against her side. “Stay with me.”

Maggie climbs onto the couch and with Alex snuggling into her side and Kara on the edge of the seat cushion over a Harry Potter movie she’s easily seen five times, the detective can’t think of a place she’d rather be.


End file.
